Two to three percent – that’s the average response you can expect from a typical direct mail campaign (based on industry stats from the Direct Marketing Association.) But make these three beginner mistakes, and your numbers can be just dismal. Master these keys to better direct mail, and you’ll be on your way to ROI nirvana.

Mistake #1 – Your message is irrelevant to your audience.

If you are selling roofing services to apartment dwellers, you lose. Make sure everyone on your list could potentially use, need or desire what you are selling. Talk to your list provider or mailing partner to make sure your list is targeted, clean and relevant to your business.

Mistake #2 – Your call to action is vague or complicated.

Too many campaigns leave off a clear and easy call to action. What does a person need to do to convert? Give them a choice of ways to respond that will work for them, including PURLS (personalized landing pages), QR codes and toll free numbers.

Mistake #3 – You fail to measure your results.

How do you know if you hit that 2-3%, and how many of those respondents actually convert to sales? If you don’t know this, your next campaign is basically a shot in the dark. And shots in the dark, while they might get lucky once in a while, are costly and dangerous.

Talk to a direct mail professional for guidance on each of these topics, and make sure your design team, your copywriters and everyone involved understand the who, what and why of each campaign you send. It’s the little things that are so easy to overlook that can make or break your efforts.